[5 On It] Balling on a Budget

Home prices are skyrocketing, while the properties themselves are being swallowed by big corporations and investors instead of families. Gas prices have catapulted, in some California locations to more than $6 a gallon. Restaurants are seeing their highest price increases in the last 40 years.

It’s no economic secret that we’re in a gigantic recession; if you’re a Millennial or part of Gen-Z, you could make an strong argument that for most, if not all, of our adult lives we’ve been in a recession – but let’s not scare ourselves existentially shitless. Instead, let’s flip the script from a scarcity mindset and focus on how we can all ball out – on a budget. Here are five tried and true tips, sure to increase your bank account and decrease your levels of concern.


Say Farewell to Fast Fashion and Hello to Savings

We all have that one friend who stays up on the trends – buys the latest kicks, sports the hottest new fashion. I am not that girl. I love a good thrift shop, I enjoy diving into those enormous bins at Goodwill where you can purchase fabric by the pound, and I absolutely abhor having to be ‘up’ on what’s hip. Considering I’m already late for almost any fashion trend, now I feel infinitely better about it knowing that my apprehension to fast fashion is helpful for my bank account, as well as the environment.

ThreadUp, Buffalo Exchange, Goodwill, Nordstrom Rack, and local boutique thrift stores will have the bang for your buck that you’re craving.


See Clearly with Inexpensive Distance Glasses

Sure, reading glasses come a dime a dozen – you can snag those anywhere at an incredibly low price tag. But what about the rest of us who suffer from nearsightedness, also known as myopia? We can now find glasses from $20 or less on Amazon and ETSY; which makes me feel infinitely better when I sit on them and break a pair. If you’re a bit skeptical about Amazon or ETSY to source them first slash third hand, use a vetted resource like Warby Parker which starts at $95 for the whole kit and caboodle.


The Early Bird Gets Better Concert Tickets

Planning goes a long way, and when it comes to concert tickets – sometimes, triply so. A general admission ticket can go up quick if you you don’t get them early, so word to the wise – keep your finger on the pulse of your city. But, if that doesn’t strike your fancy, know that most large festivals have ways that you can get involved from the ground up to make their event a success – any they all come with tickets. Whether you’re on the Green Team, or working the Lost and Found booth – there are many avenues to pursue.


Imperfect Foods is the Perfect Shopping Buddy

You want a friend that doesn’t let you put just anything off your list in your cart? Imperfect Foods has your back. Now, you’ll have to find a way to supplement strolling longingly down every aisle, but Imperfect Foods does your shopping for you, and delivers it to your door- all while helping save the environment, and the grocery supply chain. By taking the dented, bruised and otherwise unwanted foods and giving them new homes – they’ve become a sustainable haven of substance.


Don’t (Uber) Eats

I know it’s hard, but next time you’re tempted to Uber Eats – but have you really taken stock in all of their upcharges and fees? Sometimes it can be more than 20% of your original order – damn! Next time you want to order out, take a deep breath, call the restaurant, jump in your car and get it yourself. Same great food, less carbon footprint and smaller price tag.


What are some tips and tricks that you have for keeping your bank account full without sacrificing the things you love? Let me know in the comments below!

[My Favorite Blings] Nature Inspired Necklaces and Resin Jewelry

Wire wrapped gems and bracelets that shimmer,
Nature inspired necklaces and earrings that glimmer;
Geodes, crystals, flowers and butterfly wings –
These pieces are some of my favorite blings.

Bold or delicate, colorful or simple – jewelry is more than just a statement, an extension of the personality.  Somehow, between the ease of online shopping somehow and the social circles that I found myself floating around, but over the past few years my affinity for unique jewelry has been on the rise. I have this uncanny urge to collect anything that sparkles or twinkles  even more so if I can wrap it around my neck, wrists or fingers.  Sure, a lot of your favorite department stores will have wonderful pickings but I prefer the handmade variety, vintage pieces and one of a kind finds.  Blame it on my eye opening trip to Arizona’s Gem and Jam Festival and the heady events I’ve been frequenting lately, but my tastes have shifted from large statement pieces to smaller, nature inspired pieces like wire wrapped crystals, sparkling geodes and flowers in resin.

Locally around Los Angeles  there are a few great places to try and scavenge – like downtown’s Santee Alley, Venice Beach and the Melrose Trading Post in West Hollywood.  But, after enough hunting and pecking sometimes those places feel as redundant as department stores with their wares.  Truth be told, my personal preference is ETSY – they have a wonderful collection of handmade, custom wears and there’s something so nice about supporting a small business.  I spent a lot (read: too much) time searching, and wound up with some stellar pieces and lust worthy shops.

Over the Moon

My latest piece is undoubtedly my current favorite, a crescent moon paired with the technicolor twinkling of a Madagascar Sunset Moth.  Yes, it’s a real wing, but fear not – because Chrysalis Studios sources all of their pieces in an eco-friendly manner from local butterfly farms and sanctuaries.  An entirely handmade line, each and every piece is uniquely beautiful and captivating.  Ps. Check out the dreamcatchers, they’re fantastic!

Chrysalis Studios: Website | ETSY Store

Make a Wish

Earlier this year, I saw a story floating around the internet on the beauty of flowers embedded in resin jewelry and naturally – my first reaction after oohing and aaahing, was to snag myself a piece…or four.

WonderFox Jewelry:  ETSY Store

The ScrappinCop:  ETSY Store

Dandelions are dandy, but I fawn over flowers – this necklace is no exception to the rule.
Just K Jewelry: ETSY Store  

KayeBird Jewelry: ETSY STORE

Wrap Me Up

Last, but most certainly not least – I’ve built a little obsession over wire wrapped crystals and gems.  And when they look like this, could you really blame me?

  

HighWireWrappin’: ETSY Store

What are some of your favorite jaunts to peruse for jewels?!

[Make Your Own] Translucent Tinted Glass Masterpieces

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Over the past few years, I’ve turned dabbling in DIY into a full fledged hobby and lifestyle.  It feels like only yesterday that I was still living in West Hollywood, enjoying a full fledged “Ah-Ha!”-moment while figuring out what to do with my extraneous glassware, jars and jugs.  I’d been scouring the internet, hoping onto Pinterest and not so secretly scrounging boards of friends and strangers alike.  I’d seen some awesome tutorials and the like floating around a few of my favorite websites and decided to give them a try; voila – my obsession with candle crafting and creations was boldly curated.

Between picking the perfect colors and aromatically inspiring scents, rummaging through old glassware to find the perfect fit, educating myself on chromeotherapy and using the new moon to fuel my creativity, I not just think, but know, that I’ve found my happy place.  Now, when I look back and I take a gander at the vast oeuvre of DIY that I’ve partaken in, I’m slightly blown away.  What began with an obsession with setting up sparkling mason jar candles, manifested into manufacturing the real thing  and a revving up a full blown ETSY Candle Shop to spread the love of my crafts, repurposed jewelry and, of course, candles!  In a sense, you could say I’m hooked.

Conquering candle creation was one thing, but decorating and adorning the glass is quite the horse of a different color! Though I’ve never considered myself “artistic” in the “Paint me like you paint your French girls” manner, I definitely can get as artsy as the rest of ’em.

After months of toiling and trying with oft combinations of glitter and glue to decorate the mason jars, the glitz and glamour more often than not washing away between uses, I’ve been searching for a way to switch it all up.  For the record, I’ve finagled mosaic mirror tile on the outside with glitter and gems on the inside; plaid patterns, whimsical color swatches, you name it – I tried to DIY it.  Needless to say, when I saw an simple home tutorial for color casting glassware – I was intrigued and quickly queried the inter-webs for all the necessary supplies. Mason jars evolve into exquisite candles, makeup brush holders and pencil keepers, former wine bottles transform into elegant vases and like night to day – what was once in your trash can become treasure, in mere minutes!

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Not only did it look awesome, but it seemed simple enough and wasn’t about to break the bank.  Michaels‘ has some sporadic things, but – mostly, I’ve found it to be overpriced.  You can search high and low for warehouse and discount websites, but suffice it to say – Amazon‘s got you covered.

Supplies + Tools

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  • Assorted Upcycled and Recycled Glass Jars, Mason Jars, Old Spaghetti Jars, Jelly Jars, Wine Bottles….glass, basically.
  •  Mod Podge: Gloss Lustre
  •  Food Coloring in Multiple Colors. remember the color wheel from Kindergarten? Awesome. We’re about to use it.
  •  Small Cups for Mixing Colored Gloss
  •  Paintbrush(es)

Around the house items – it shouldn’t be much trouble scrounging these up, but so they’re at your ready:

  • Oven. We’re turning it into a faux-kiln!
  • Baking Sheet
  • Wax Paper or Aluminum Foil
  • Paper Towels.  Apparently paint is messy, or so my kitchen floor informed me the next morning…

Instructions – Time: 1 hour, with considerable downtime 

  • 2015/01/img_6689.jpgIf you’re reusing an old candle – handwash the glass candle holder to remove the outside label and leftover wax, then dry before next step
    • If you’re having trouble, a little GooGone should do the trick (or any form of Olive Oil or Baby Oil)
  • Get a few mixing cups out and let’s make some colors! Pour about a (1/4) to (1/3) cup of Mod Podge (don’t bother measuring, just pour it) into your receptacles and let’s mix it up.  First, a few fun tips 4 to 3 Blue :: Red Ratio makes a pretty Purple
    • 4 to 1 Yellow :: Red Ratio gets a lovely Orange
    • 2 to 1 Green :: Yellow Ratio creates a mellow Green
    • 3 to 1 Red :: Blue Ratio transforms into a nice pink
  • Take your colors one by one and pour them into each of your jars.
  • Let the tinted Mod Podge coagulate on the bottom and slowly swirl until all sides are color coated

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  • Set up your baking sheet with aluminum foil or wax paper, whichever floats your boat; then line it with some paper towels.
  • Turn the glasses upside down on the paper towels and and let all excess Podge drip down; let them sit for 30 minutes

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  • While the colors set in, let’s set the oven to preheat at 225° and make sure there’s enough height for all the glasses.
  • After half an hour has passes, remove from paper towels and turn them right side up on piece of newspaper .
  • Toss your paper towels away, if necessary – swap out your aluminum or wax paper; and now you’re ready for a science project!
  • Turn those chromatically appealing pieces of glass right-side up and onto your baking sheet, put your baking sheet in the oven, sit back – and enjoy that entire bottle of wine you just whimsically poured out because you realized the wine bottle makes the cutest little vase.  Yes, you; I see you.
  • Leave glass in oven for 30 minutes.
  • When your timer goes off, grab your office mitts (yes, they’re hot!) – set your baking sheet in an appropriate location and then take a gander at what you’ve created.  It’s pretty effing neat.

From vases to candles, vacation jars, coin collectors and memory keepsakes – whatever you choose to turn your tinted glassware into, make it with love and make it yourself!

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[The Launchpad] Bouncy Kitty Creations

Over the past year, when I thought I was combating my quarter life crisis it turns out what I was actually doing was fortifying new hobbies and forging stellar new paths for myself. Between creating infused olive oils, repurposing and creating one of a kind jewelry and as of late – chromotherapy based soy candles – I’ve truly found a DIY niche (or three…)that I’m obsessed with.  What better way to acknowledge an obsession than by sharing it with the world; right? So, boom – over the past month I’ve been putting in some extra crafting effort and finally opened up a little boutique on ETSY; though it’s not much – it’s certainly a start!

What takes something from a hobby to more than that? For me, it’s that little twinkle that starts when I’m wrist deep in craft glue or can’t tell what color your hands were at the start of the day; for others, it’s that little bit of extra change lying around in their pocket.  Honestly, it takes a lot of trying a lot of things – and failing at a certain number of them, too –  to determine what you’re willing to work at, what you’re determined to get better at and what our overall passions in our adult lives.

As children, our parents were constantly cycling through new adventures to see what would stick – for me, there was jazz dance, basketball and a variety of other sports, music (the flute, choir, theater and music history), cribbage (look it up, it’s awesome), beading and making jewelry, student council, crocheting; you name it, I got my hands on it.  But if it weren’t for my parents, who knows how long it would’ve taken for me to hone in on some ridiculously idiosyncratic skills. A well paying job could in no way supplement how beyond happy I am that in my spare time I write, craft, DIY, practice light poi, learn coding and as of late, I’m even learning how to hoop! But, I digress; back to the main point for today: Bouncy Kitty Creations!

MADE TO ORDER: Total Chakra Alignment  || Handmade Soy Wax Chromotherapy Candle || 16oz Jelly Jar

My ETSY shop is on and poppin’ – I don’t have my full range of candles yet, but I want to test the waters and see which ones are getting some love; and then build from there.  Right now, there’s a great assortment of ‘Total Chakra Therapy’ candles – which are my personal favorites; plus a few larger holiday fragrances and mini sparkle and mini disco candles, not gonna lie – those are all sorts of adorable.  Want more? Head to the shop – use the code BOUNCYKITTYLOVE to rep the blog spot and get a whopping 35% off. Yeah, you read that right – who loves ya? 😉

MADE TO ORDER: Mini Disco Candle || Handmade Soy Wax Chromotherapy Candle || 4oz Jelly Jar

Cinnamon Chai || Homemade Scented Soy Candles || 11.5 oz Jar